West Wildwood, New Jersey Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 588, West Wildwood's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

West Wildwood is a small community located in New Jersey, within Cape May County. The total population is 588. It ranks as the 602nd most populous out of 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Wildwood is 60.1 years. This is 50% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. 15.7% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in West Wildwood is $74,432. This is 28% lower than the state median of $103,556. It is also 8% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.3%. This is 56% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 14.9%. This is 136% higher than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $400,800. Housing costs are 12% lower than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.4x. 91.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 43% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in West Wildwood is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (81.5% vs 50.9%). The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 12.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.3%) is well below the state average of 22.5%.

Education

29.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% lower than the state rate of 43.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Wildwood, New Jersey is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New Jersey state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 700 Census-designated places in New Jersey. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.